Eighth Gorge, Nitmiluk National Park, May 2004

Good news is the doc says I'll be able to start walking and riding again in about a week, my ankle is healing well. The bad news means that I'm going to do another retro post.

A Black Headed Python taken on my way into the park.

In April 2004 I decided to head north and attempt the Larapinta Trail, I didn't end up completing the Larapinta however, as it was still a bit hot and I found myself having to carry to much water. So, after hitching in to Alice Springs I grabbed my truck and headed for the tropics, where at least I wouldn't have to worry about a lack of water.

Eighth Gorge.

I decided that I'd head to Nitmiluk N.P. walk out to Eight Gorge and spend a couple of nights out there while I explored the area. Nitmiluk is home to the Jawoyn people and I was interested to see if I find any art sites.

My Kitchen, over looking Eighth Gorge.

Arriving at the information counter first thing in the morning I soon had my permit and, after parking the troopie in the long term car park I was on my way. I was keen to get going early as I knew from earlier visits that once I climbed away from the gorge the temperature was going to soar. The track basically follows the south side of Katherine Gorge, keeping around two kilometres from the actual river until the final section into Eighth Gorge. I avoided all the side trips to the river as I'd done most of them previously.

Dunlop Swamp.

Passing through Dunlop Swamp mid morning the temperature was really starting to heat up, I topped up my water bottle and headed into uncharted territory for me. From Dunlop Swamp I found myself on a slashed track, I was walking through a savannah type landscape (if that makes any sense), with knee high grass, and a sparse covering of trees along with plenty of sandstone outcrops. The trees however didn't really provide any protection from the sun, nor did they provide any security for me from the wild buffalo that I bumped into. Luckily the buffalo was to busy eating to worry about a bushwalker, but I was ready to bolt for the nearest sandstone outcrop as I figured he probably couldn't climb to well.

I don't think these tree's are going to give me much protection.

Eventually I headed down a creek line to enter a broad valley full of sandstone slabs, I was now following a route marked with blue arrows hanging from the trees. After following a fairly convoluted route for a while the track started to descend to the camping spot at Eighth Gorge. This campsite is still my favourite of all time, my tent was under some paperbarks on a sandbank about four metres from the water. The waterhole had a beautiful waterfall flowing into it and a perfect little sandy beach. After setting up camp I kicked of my boots and waded straight in clothes and all, relishing the feeling of the cool water enveloping me.

My private waterhole, a couple of metres from my tent.

I don't think it gets much better than this.

The afternoon was spent with me on rotation between basking on the sand or lazing in the water, I managed to tear myself away long enough to check out the actual gorge, the Eighth Gorge Camp is actually above the gorge on a small side creek about fifty metres before the creek tumbles over a waterfall into the Katherine River. About halfway from my camp to the river there was a nice flat rock which I soon had earmarked as my kitchen rock. The views from my kitchen rock of the gorge at sunset and sunrise were stunning.

Looking down into the gorge.

I've had worse views!

I had a peaceful night with the only sound being of the small waterfall splashing into my private little plunge pool. After a quick dip in the morning I chucked on my clothes and boots and headed off the explore the Jawoyn Valley, I was interested to see if I could find any indigenous art. Once I climbed out of my little valley up onto the sandstone slabs the temperature soared, I was glad I'd headed of early in the morning.

After retracing yesterdays route for a kilometre or so I left it and headed straight up the valley, ten years ago there was a route marked by cairns and the occasional blue arrow hung from a tree, I'm not sure what it like now. Without trying too hard I was finding a lot of art sites, it is a humbling experience to walk where people have walked for thousands of years and to sit in rock over hangs where the Jawoyn people would have sat taking in the view.

Indigenous art in the Jawoyn Valley.

Sitting in an over hang that's probably been sat in for thousands of years.

Climbing out of Jawoyn Valley the route doubled back on itself and I was heading back towards camp, getting back to my waterhole in the early afternoon. Kicking the boots off I once again walked straight in fully clothed, I spent the whole afternoon soaking only coming out to hang my clothes up to dry. Dinner was again on my rock with the million star view of Eighth Gorge.

Heading back to my camp, note the yellow tent a few metres from my private beach.

The waterfall in the middle of the pic is where my kitchen rock was.

Taken from behind the waterfall, at camp.

Looking towards Ninth Gorge from my kitchen.

Day three saw me up and away early, I was keen to get as far as I could before it heated up too much. When I talk heat it was probably around 35 C in the shade with a reasonably high humidity, on the sandstone rocks and open plains that I was walking it was a lot hotter than that. Thankfully I missed my mate the buffalo on the way back, pulling up at Dunlop Swamp mid morning. Now Dunlop Swamp wasn't the most appealing place I've ever had a swim, but at the same time its far from the worst, so off came the clothes and in I went. I actually found a spot with a sandy bottom and a nice rock shelf to leave my clothes, there was a trickle of water flowing in and even though the water had a bit of a red tinge the same as the sand and the rocks, it was clean.

I've swum in worse places, having a dip at Dunlop Swamp in the heat of the day.

I had an early lunch while I drip dried on the rocks, but I couldn't put of the inevitable and eventually pulled on my clothes and headed off on the last stage of my walk back to the visitor centre. I changed my outward route in that I descended back to the visitor centre via the lookout above the opening of the first gorge, adding a little distance. Getting back to the visitor centre I checked in with the ranger, got my deposit back, and headed straight to the drinks fridge, savouring the cold liquid going down my hot, dusty throat. Shit I love this country!

At the look out above the first gorge, I know it a crap photo but its the only one I've got.

The Dirt
It was ten years ago that I did this walk so any information is already well out of date. When I did the walk there were no notes for the walk, John & Lyn Daly have since covered the walk in their NT book . The campsite at Eighth Gorge is awesome but like a lot of walks in the deep north it pays to be there just after the wet season as I believe my little waterhole could get a bit stagnant late in the dry. It would be easy to spend days out here exploring all the side trips down to the gorge and that's exactly what I plan to do someday. The track is marked by blue arrows hung from trees and at the time I did the walk was easy to follow, check with the rangers what the conditions are like now. On the topic of rangers, you need to get a permit from the Nitmiluk Visitor Centre, unlike the Jatbula Trail, Eighth Gorge is still off the radar a bit so permits aren't to hard to get. The walk as I did it was around 48 kilometres spread over three days.

Late afternoon Eighth Gorge.